Hamlet (48 page)

155
Repast
feed

159
sensible
feeling

160
level
directly

165
virtue
power, efficacy

167
turns the beam
tilts the crossbar of the scales (i.e. tips in our favor)

171
Nature
human nature

171
fine in
refined by

172
instance
sign, token

173
After … loves
i.e. after Polonius, to the grave

174
bier
movable stand on which a corpse is carried to the grave

175
Hey … nonny
a refrain more usually associated with merry love songs

179
move
affect (me)/persuade

180
You
Ophelia assigns parts to the individuals in the room “
a-down … a-down-a”
well-known refrains

181
wheel
refrain

181
false … daughter
refers to a story or ballad that remains unidentified

183
This … matter
this nonsense is actually more meaningful than sane talk/this nonsense contains significance that is beyond the reach of sense

184
rosemary
herb symbolizing remembrance

185
pansies
flowers symbolic of love, named from French
pensées
(
thoughts
)

186
document
lesson

187
fitted
put together

188
fennel
herb said to symbolize flattery

188
columbines
flowers symbolic of infidelity

188
rue
herb symbolizing repentance

190
o’Sundays
on Sundays

190
difference
variation on a coat of arms to distinguish different members or branches of a family (or Ophelia may simply mean “differently”)

191
daisy
possibly symbolic of deception; alternatively, a springtime flower associated with love

191
violets
flowers symbolic of faithfulness and of chastity

194
For … joy
a line from a well-known song

195
Thought
melancholy

195
passion
extreme grief

196
favour
charm, attractiveness

203
flaxen
white

203
poll
head, i.e. hair

205
cast away moan
waste our laments

206
Gramercy
great mercy

207
God buy ye
goodbye (literally, “God be with you”)

211
whom
whichever of

212
’twixt
between

213
collateral
indirect

214
touched
implicated

222
trophy
memorial

222
hatchment
tablet bearing the coat of arms of the dead person, placed over the tomb

223
ostentation
ceremony

225
That
so that

225
call in question
demand an explanation

Act 4 Scene 5

8
an’t
if it

13
overlooked
looked over, read

13
means
means of access

15
appointment
equipment

16
compelled
necessary

17
grapple
forcible seizing of a ship for the purpose of boarding

19
thieves of mercy
merciful thieves

21
repair
come

23
too … matter
i.e. inadequate to convey the importance of the issue

23
bore
caliber of a gun (Hamlet’s words are bullets that are too small to fit)

28
way
access

Act 4 Scene 6

1
my acquittance seal
confirm my innocence

3
Sith
since

3
knowing
understanding/knowledgeable

7
proceeded not
did not take legal proceedings

7
feats
deeds/crimes

8
capital
punishable by death

9
As … up
i.e. given that it was greatly in the interests of safety and prudence to do so

12
unsinewed
weak

16
conjunctive
closely united (an astronomical term referring to proximity between planets)

17
sphere
orbit; individual stars and planets were thought to be contained within concentric hollow spheres that revolved around the earth

18
but
except, unless I were

19
count
account, reckoning, indictment

20
general gender
common people

20
gender
kind, sort

22
spring … stone
a spring with high levels of lime in its water would petrify a piece of wood placed in it

23
gyves
fetters

24
Too slightly timbered
i.e. too light

28
terms
circumstances

29
go back again
i.e. recall her as she was

30
on mount
on high

34
shook with
tugged (contemptuously) by

43
Claudio
a bluff, an intermediary, or Shakespeare’s slip when he meant “Horatio”

45
naked
destitute

47
pardon
permission

51
abuse
deceit

51
no such thing
not what it seems, a trick

53
character
handwriting

63
If so
so long as

65
As checking at
as a result of deviating from or aborting (a falconry term referring to the hawk turning away from its pursuit in mid-flight)

67
device
devising

70
uncharge the practice
acquit the plot from blame

74
can well
are skilled

74
gallant
fine young man

77
As
as if

77
incorpsed
of one body

77
demi-natured
half of the same nature

78
brave
splendid

78
passed my thought
surpassed anything I could have imagined

79
forgery … tricks
imagining feats of horsemanship

83
Lamond
some editors prefer Quarto’s
Lamord
, with its hint of death (
la mort
, French for “death”)

85
brooch
jewel/ornament

87
made … you
testified to your skill

89
For … defence
with regard to your skill and performance in self-defense

93
envenom
embitter/poison

95
sudden
immediate

95
play
compete

103
begun by time
generated by particular circumstances

104
passages of proof
events that have proved it

105
qualifies
weakens, diminishes

110
sanctuarize
give sanctuary to, protect

112
Will you
if you are to

112
close
secluded

114
put on
encourage/organize

116
in fine
in conclusion, finally

117
remiss
negligent, not vigilant

118
generous
noble-minded

119
peruse
examine carefully

119
foils
light swords, blunted for use in fencing

121
unbated
not blunted

121
pass of practice
treacherous thrust/deliberately planned thrust

122
Requite
repay, have revenge on

125
unction
ointment

125
mountebank
quack doctor who traveled around selling various remedies

126
I … it
Laertes leaves unfinished the account of what happened when he did this; or perhaps he means “one need but dip a knife in it”; some editors prefer Quarto’s “so mortal that, but dip”

127
cataplasm
medicated plaster, poultice

127
rare
excellent

128
simples
medicinal herbs

129
Under the moon
i.e. anywhere, though gathering herbs by moonlight was thought to lend them extra potency

130
withal
with it

131
contagion
poison

131
gall
graze

135
fit … shape
suit our plan/fit us for the roles we are going to play

136
drift
scheme, intention

136
look
becomes visible

139
blast in proof
explode when put to the test

140
cunnings
skills (i.e. Laertes’ and Hamlet’s)

141
ha’t
have it

143
As
i.e. you should

143
bouts
rounds in a fight

145
nonce
purpose

146
stuck
thrust

151
willow
a tree associated with sadness and forsaken love

152
hoar
grayish white

153
fantastic
elaborate/fanciful

154
crow-flowers
buttercups/ragged robins (both types of wildflower)

154
long purples
a type of purple orchid; the roots resemble testicles, hence the
grosser name

155
liberal
freely spoken/licentious

155
grosser
coarser/more vulgar

156
cold
chaste

157
pendent
drooping, overhanging

158
envious sliver
malicious part of a branch

159
weedy
made of wildflowers

163
incapable
uncomprehending/insensible

163
distress
affliction, calamity

164
indued
adapted

167
lay
song

173
trick
way, habit

174
these
i.e. his tears

175
woman … out
the woman in me will be finished

177
folly
i.e. his weeping

177
douts
extinguishes

Act 5 Scene 1

5.1
Location: a graveyard near the royal castle at Elsinore Clowns
rustics

1
Christian burial
suicides were not allowed Christian burial rites

2
salvation
probably a malapropism for “damnation,” though perhaps the Clown suggests Ophelia was trying to get to heaven early

4
straight
straightaway (plays on the sense of “not crooked”)

4
crowner
coroner

5
sat
held an inquest (with a play on the literal sense)

9
se offendendo
perversion of
se defendendo
(Latin for “in self-defense,” a legal term); literally “in self-offense”

12
argal
perversion of
ergo
(Latin for “therefore”)

13
goodman
title for a person below the rank of gentleman and often followed by the individual’s occupation (here a
delver
or digger)

16
will … he
whether he will or no

21
quest
inquest

25
there thou say’st
i.e. how right you are

26
countenance
authority, permission

27
even Christian
fellow Christians

28
ditchers
ditch-makers